The invention relates to a separation element for separating a liquid from a gas stream, preferably an air stream, in particular for use as an oil separator element of a pressure accumulator system, and a pressure accumulator system for installing such a replaceable separation element.
Separation elements are typically used for de-oiling air for compressors, in particular in oil-lubricated and oil-cooled screw compressors. In screw compressors it is customary for air to come into contact with oil. The oil is used for sealing, cooling, and lubricating the compressor screw, and is carried along at a rate in the range of 1 to 5 kg per m3. For the de-oiling, separation elements are often used as so-called mist eliminators for separating the oil droplets from the compressed air in such screw compressors. Separation elements such as air de-oiling elements and air de-oiling boxes are used for de-oiling this compressed air, and the separated oil is recirculated into the oil circuit. Air de-oiling boxes often have the design of a spin-on filter including a housing, a cover and a separation element. Air de-oiling elements are separation elements in form of inserts which are inserted into the pressure vessel of compressors.
A device of the air de-oiling element type is known from EP 1 694 424 A1.
A device of the spin-on type for separating oil droplets from air is known from DE 85 01 736 U1. The device is based on an apparatus which is designed as an air dryer for compressed air systems, in particular compressed air brake systems of vehicles, which are rechargeable by a compressor. The device operates with a drying medium which has a limited absorption capacity and which therefore must be frequently regenerated, depending on the amount of liquid in the air to be dried. The device for separating oil droplets from air is designed in such a way that the fully assembled pressure vessel may be brought into the operating position by simply screwing it on, and the collected oil may be continuously discharged.
The separation element is designed as a ring-shaped coalescer which agglomerates the fine oil droplets in a manner known per se to form larger oil droplets, which due to gravity settle in the separation element and downstream therefrom. The separator head is provided with a central standpipe which opens into the exhaust duct for discharging the clean air, and which protrudes beyond a threaded pipe connector at the top, and with same forms an annular gap, which is connected to a separate drainage channel for discharging the separated oil.
To avoid a spurious air stream which could bypass the separation element and adversely affect the separation performance, the separation element has an end disk on the end-face side which is sealed on a cylindrical attachment of the threaded pipe connector via a radially acting sealing ring.